Safety device for electric-heater sad-irons.



G. E. SKINNER.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC HEATER SAD IRONS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.11, 1909.

1,042,490, Patented Oct. 29, 1912.

43 44 I 67 47 12 WITNESSES: I 45 INVENTOB B 46 ATTORNEY UNITED, STATESPATENT QFFICE.

CHARLES E. SKINNEB, 01 WILKINSBUIG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING-HOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 01 PENNSYL- VANIA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC-HEATER SAD-IRONS.

Specification of we... Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1912.

Application filed January 11, 1909. Serial No. 471,686.

To all whom it may concern: Be'it known that I, CHARLES E. SKINNnn, acitizen of the United States, anda resident of \Vilkinsburg, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Iin rovement in Safety Devices for Electriceater Sad-Irons, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electrically heat- 10. ed sad irons and similardevices, and it has for its object to provide means for auto-- maticallyopening the supply circuit of the heating element except when the ironis either in use or resting on a stand provided for its reception.

When manually operated line sivitches are relied upon for opening theheater circuit of electric sad irons and similar devices, there is alwas danger of scorching or set- 29 ting fire to abrics and otherinflammable material against which the iron may rest or on which t maybe laid for a considerable period of time without interrupting thesupply circuit.

According to my present invention, I provide a switch in' the sad ironhandle and an-.

constructed in accordance with my inven tion, the handle of the saidiron being broken away to disclose the switch mechanism which isactuated by the grip of the 40 user. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing thecir-v cuit connections of the electric heater and the switches whichform parts of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the matter illustrated comprises a sad iron1, having an electric heater or resistance element 2 and a handle 3, anda stand 4 having an asbestos base 5 and a metal frame 6.

The handle 3 is providedwith a recess 7 in which a movable contactmember 8 is adapted to operate. The contact member is pivotally mountedon a stationary shaft or pin 9 and comprises a contact blade lOand aresilient shank 11. The handle is pro- 5 vided with stationary contactmembers 12 of electric arcs.

and 13 which are adapted to receive the movable contact blade 10 at theextreme goings in the movement of the contact mem- The contact blade 10is normally held in engagement with the contact member 13 by means of aspring 14 which presses against the shank IT at an intermediate point inits length. The action of the spring 14 is opposed, when the sad iron isin use, by a pro- ]ect1on,15 on a lever 16 which is pivotally mountedabout the shaft 9, and its motion is limited in an outward directionby'a stop or pin 17. The shape of the contact members 12 and 13 is suchas to exert a frictional resistance to the separation of the movable andstationary contact members, so that, when the position of the switch ischanged, the resilient shank 11 is first bent by the action either-ofthe spring 14 or of the lever 16' and, when released, a quick break iseffected, thereby minimizing the formation lever 16 preferably conformsto the contour of the handle grip and substantially covers the openingof the recess 7. other in the stand on which the iron should I Theelectric circuit connections are preferably brought into the sad ironhandle in the form of a three-strand cord, one strand of. which isconnected to the movable contactblade 10 through the resistance element2 and the other two being respectively connected to the stationarycontact members 12 and 13.

' The stand 4 is provided with a switch 34 comprisinga lever 35 having acontact, member 36 at one end which isadapted to'engage the one or theother of two stationary con tact members 37 and 38. A spring 40 tends toforce the lever ino-ne direction to bring the contact member 36 intoengagement with the member 37 and the free end of the lever is providedwith a button 41 which is so engaged by the sad iron, when it isnormally placed on the stand, as to throw the contact member 36 intoengagement with member 38. The contact member 36 isconnected to acircuit conductor 42 and the stationary contact members 37 and 38 areseverally connected to circuit conductors 47 and which togetherconstitute a flexible cable.

The circuit connections for the device are as" follows: If the sad ironis placed on the stand and the handle rip is released, a circuit isestabl shed om any convenient The outer surface of the source of energy,such as supply circuit 43-44 through conductor 42, lever 35, contactmembers 36 and 38, conductor 45, contact members 13 and 10, conductor32, resistance element 2 and conductor 46 to thesupply circuit-conductor44. If the sad iron is grasped by an attendant and removed from thestand, the position of the switch in the stand and also that of theswitch in the handle will be changed so that circuit connections will beas follows: from conductor 43 through conductor 42, contact members 36and 37, conductor 47, contact members 12 and 10, conductor 32,resistance element 2 1 and conductor 46 to the conductor 44.

It will be observed that an electric circuit is completed through theheating element when the handle grip is released, with the sad ironresting on the stand, and also when the handle is gripped, with the sadiron removed from the stand. If, however, the handle is released whenthe iron is not resting on the stand, the heater circuit will beinterrupted, since there is no connection between the contact member 37and the contact member 13.

The circuit connections for the devices, when the sad iron is releasedin some position other than on the stand, are clearly shown in the diaam of Fig. 2.

It is evident t at modifications in circuit connections and instructural details may be efi'ected within the spirit and scope of myinvention, and I desire that only such 1imitations shall be imposed asare indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with an electrically heated sad iron, a supplycircuit therefor and a supporting stan of means for comswitching pletingthe supply circuit only when the sad lI'OIl' is deposited on the standor when its handle is gripped by the operator in any OthGIdOCfltlOn.

2. The combination with a manually operated electrically heated devicehaving an operating handle, a supportin stand for the device and asupply circuit, of switching devices in the operating handle and in thestand which cooperate to complete the circuit when the device isdeposited on the stand and the handle released and to interrupt thecircuit when the device is deposited elsewhere and the handle released.

3. The combination -with an electrically heated sad iron, a supplycircuit therefor,

and a supporting stand, of electric switching devices in the handle ofthe iron and in the stand,-said devices being respectively dependent fortheir manipulation upon the:

heated'sad iron having a resistance element and an operating handle,asupply circuit and a sup orting stand, of double throw dhvices tendingto occupy predetermined positions and respective y located in theoperating handle of the iron and in the stand and. respectivelymanipulated by the grip of the operator and by the weight of the iron onthe stand.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed: my name this 31st dayof December, 1908. 1 i CHARLES E. SKINNER.

Witnesses:

F. L. Tums,

Brenna Hines.

